interesting

[Guest guest]

Between the two Compadres, Gaspar and

By Luciano da Silva, M. D.

Why do we become fat?

What is the sugar index?

The potatoes and the refine flour kill TEN times more Americans during one year,

than fire arms!... 30 thousands are killed by the fire arms in America, and 300

thousand died, in one year, because of the potatoes and refine flour!

This conversation between Gaspar and , as two Compadres, reveals lots of

medical truths, and original medical research. Print a copy of this article for

you, your family and your friends

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Gaspar - Compadre, it is indeed very impressive to see so many fat people in

America! Why do you think this exist?

- Because of two main reasons: (1) we eat and drink too much, and (2) we

abuse of the wrong foods.

Gaspar - The statistics show that America is the nation in the world that has

the highest percentage of fat or obese persons. More than sixty per cent of

its inhabitants are overweighed. This means there are much more than one

hundred million of fat or obese Americans!

- Well, overweight means also high blood pressure, and risks for heart

attacks, brain attacks or strokes and diabetes. All these diseases have the

potential for killing.

Gaspar-And indeed they do. The number one, as the cause of the mortality in

the United States of America, is the cardiovascular diseases. The world famous

Canadian physician, Osler, said that we can measure our age by the

degree of rust that we develop in our arteries. This means that when our little

tubes, or arteries of our circulation, begin to get rusty, it is the starting

of our old age!.

-- But in the old days we thought that the rust in our arteries, also

called arteriosclerosis or atherosclerosis, was due to too much fat, but

nowadays medical science demonstrates that is due to the hydrocabonates or

foods rich in sugar.

Gaspar - But isn't this new interpretation somewhat radical? How do you explain

such a phenomenon?

-- This new analysis was developed by a physician of the Faculty of

Medicine of the University of Toronto, Canada, named Dr. , who is

Professor of Nutrition and Diabetes at the same university.

Dr. of the University of Toronto, Canada

Gaspar - But wasn't also in the University of Toronto that they discovered the

Insulin?

- Correctly. It were two physicians Banting and Best who first made

that sensational discovery and were given the Nobel Prize in Medicine in the

following year (1923)!

Gaspar - Compadre, please explain to me how the foods rich in sugar make us fat?

Describe for me Dr. 's discovery.

- The discovery or analysis of Dr. and his group is very simple,

as it always happens with all the great discoveries. They decided to study, to

measure, the caloric values of the various foods not outside of the body, but

instead, the speed with which the same foods are reabsorbed, the speed at which

they enter into our circulation, at the level of the small intestinal mucosa!

Gaspar - Compadre, you have to give me all that in small pieces. All that in

such a big bunch is too much for my understanding..

- Well, first we have to understand the physiology of the small

intestine, or how it works, we have to know first the entire anatomy of the

gastrointestinal track from the mouth all the away down to the anus. Our

gastrointestinal track has a length equal to seven times the height of each

person! The small intestine by itself has a length five times the height of a

person! Because of this we can compare our small intestine to a hose of 30 feet

long. to water our garden.

Gaspar - What is the function of such a thing so long and so curled in our

belly?

-But there is more. Inside of our small intestine, the mucosa, or the

inner lining, if you wish, is shaped in many folds called villi, that look like

mountains, with the purpose of augmenting the area of the intestinal

reabsorption. All together, imagine, the total area of our small intestinal

reabsorption is equal to the area of a 'tennis court', all this inside of our

belly!..

Gaspar - But, why did Mother Nature place such a 'tennis court', as you say,

inside of our abdomen?

- Very good question. So that our foods after they have been chewed in

our mouth, and digested in our stomach and finally pass to the first part of

the intestine, called duodenum, they will have a long distance to travel in our

small intestine, before they can enter our into circulation.

Gaspar - I do not understand. Which is more healthy, a slow or rapid digestion?

- As strange as it might seem, the slow digestion is healthier.

Gaspar - This is the reason why my mother always said to me. " My boy, eat slow,

chew the food well. "

- All the good mothers behave this way. But that is not the scientific

reason.

Speed limit traffic sign.

To see this photo in large size click on it once

The small intestine is like a highway

- For us to understand better the voyage that the foods have to travel

inside of our digestive track, we should make a comparison of our digestive

system with a highway. Here in America we have speed traffic signs limiting the

various speeds that go from 20 and 25 miles per hour within the school zones,

30 to 35 and 45 miles per hour in other rural areas, including 50 and 55 miles

per hour in the highways. If anyone exceeds these speed limits it will be fined

and also runs a high risk of accidents. We are going to see that within our

small intestine the speed of the reabsorption of our foods should not exceed

55 " miles " per hour!. for us to be healthy.

Gaspar - Compadre, so I can understand better your explanation, tell me what

happens, for example, with a piece of bread?

To see this photo in larger size click on it once

Digestion of a piece of bread traveling from the mouth, through the

esophagus down to the stomach

- Very well. When we place a piece of breath inside of the mouth while

chewing it, it gets mixed with the saliva. A small ball of bread paste is formed

which is then swallowed, passing through the esophagus into the stomach. In the

stomach, which has the shape of wind pipe bag and thirty five million gastric

glands, the bread ball is going to undergo the action of the gastric juices.

The same will happen to the meats and fish and even to other foods, in such a

way that when they arrive at the level of the small intestine, they can be

reabsorbed into our circulation. But we should note a very important fact. In

the stomach our digestion happens in an very acid medium like vinegar. The so

called PH, or acidity of the stomach is very strong, with values between 1.8

and 3.5 PH, while our blood is slightly alkaline or 'sweet' with values of 7.4

(arterial) and 7.35 (venous) of PH. The fact that our foods are impregnated

with acid, is very good, because the longer they stay acid, the longer it

will take them to be reabsorbed at the level of the small intestine.

To see this photo in larger size, click on it once

Stomach showing the various types of foods with its acid

Gaspar - I take it that the small intestine digestion is different from that of

the stomach?

- Yes, sir. While in the stomach, as I just said, the digestion is

strongly acid for the better digestion of the proteins of the meat and fish, in

the small intestine its main action is due to the juices that come from the

pancreas and from the glands of the walls of the small intestine, and all

together, they change the acid medium into an alkaline, or 'sweet'

environment, to complete the digestion of those foods that were not digested

by the stomach. In conclusion, only after the foods are well refined and made

alkalined can they be reabsorbed, in another words, can they pass the " tool

both " at the small intestinal mucosa and be able to enter into our

circulation.

To see this photo in larger size, click on it once

This photo shows us the stomach, duodenum and the change from acid to

alkaline.

Gaspar - I like that comparison of the " toll booth " with the small intestinal

mucosa.

- Well, it is at this " intestinal toll booth " that resides the great

and original discovery of Dr. and his colleagues. The foods that in

their original states are already refined, as it happens with refined four, or

with the pulp of the potatoes and even with the watermelon, these foods do not

stop at the " intestinal toll both " to pay their tokens. They pass the

" intestinal booth " , at high speed, by using the so call " Green Via " .

Therefore they are reabsorbed faster into our circulation and cause an

increase in their level in our blood within the first hour of our digestion!

This originates a high curve, or the pick of a mountain, in our blood, that

many times exceeds the normal values.

To see this photo in larger size, click on it once

This photo shows us the " tool booth " of the small intestine and the

circulatory vessels where the food enters the blood stream.

Gaspar - But we all know when things are in excess, they can cause a maladie.

How does our body control such an excess of those foods in our blood?

- Very good question, Compadre. It seems you are now understanding this

mechanism. Congratulations! We are going to follow the examples of the foods

that I already mentioned: refined flour, and potatoes, whose pulp, is as I

stated before, is already refined. For this reason all the breads, and all

those cakes and pies that are made with refined flour do not pay " intestinal

toll booth token " at the small intestinal mucosa. This means that these foods

are reabsorbed faster through the " Green Via " , originating an elevation, due

to the refine flour and potatoes, causing an increase of the sugar level in

the blood within the first hour of our digestion.

To see this photo in larger size, click on it once.

This photo shows us a close up of the " tool booth " of the intestinal

mucosa

Gaspar - Compadre, explain to me how come the bread made with the refine flour

or roasted potatoes in the oven, causes an increase in the sugar level in the

blood?

- Very easily. The refine flour and the potatoes are foods very rich in

hydrocabonates or sugar products. And the more refined they are, the easier

they will pass through the pores at the level of the small intestinal mucosa so

they are reabsorbed very quickly. If the flour is coarse, and its particles are

larger, such a flour will have more difficulty to be reabsorbed at the

" intestinal tool booth " . and the end result is that the sugar will not go

higher in the blood.

Allow me to repeat the great discovery of Dr. . The larger the particles

of the foods, the more difficult, the longer, it will be its reabsorption at

the level of the small intestine, preventing an increase curve of the sugar

in the blood, within the first hour of our digestion!

To see this photo in larger size, click on it once.

The larger the particles of the food, the lower the Glycemic index will be. (

This diagram is taken from page 36 of the book " The Glucose Revolution " )

Gaspar - You mean to say that all the refining industrial factories of the

various cereals, they are manufacturing foods that are hazardous to our health?

-- You hit the nail on the head! That is the way it is, today. Strange

as it may seem, in the old days, the cereals were grinded in the water or

tide mills or by the wind mills, and the end result was flour not refined and

people prepared their breads together with its bran, making a bread that always

had a low glycemic index.

Gaspar - You mean that with all this so called progress we are going backwards

instead of forwards.

To see this photo in larger size,

click on it once.

Wind mill in the island of Corvo, the smallest and most westerns island of the

Azores. This wind mill does not have sales anymore. Portugal had more than

twenty thousand and today does not have one mill functioning. It is a shame.

Portugal does not make any more brans with its cereals, which are much better

for the health.

- Exactly. Another important advise that Dr. gives us, is to

use with all major meals, a mixed salad prepared with two table spoons of

vinegar and one table spoon of olive oil. This salad will help to maintain the

acidity of the foods ingested, causing a longer period of time, in order to

the delay their reabsorption at the level of the small intestine.

Main Function Of The Insulin

Gaspar - Compadre, with all this detailed information, you have not yet

explained to me how the sugar products are going to cause an increase of

weight in our body? Which is the magic transformation by which the sugar can

be converted into fat? I have not yet understood such a mechanism!

To see this photo enlarged just click on it once

The pancreas is localized at the level of the umbilicus, behind the stomach, and

has the size and shape of our tongue. We might call it the " tongue " of our

belly. It possesses one million islands which produce the insulin by the Beta

cells.

-I have already explained to you that when we eat the bread made with

refine flour and potatoes which have a very refined pulp, they do not pay

" intestinal toll booth " , and are reabsorbed very rapidly, resulting in an

elevation of the sugar curve in the blood during the first hour of our

digestion. Do you understand that?

Gaspar-Yes, I understand that much.

- What do you think it will happen to that elevated curve of sugar in

the blood? How is our body going to control the elevation of such blood sugar?

What are the mechanisms of defense or of regulation our body uses?

Gaspar - That is exactly what I want to know.

- When the sugar goes above the normal values (70 to 120 milligrams),

there is automatically a rapid requisition for the pancreas to start producing

insulin and deliver it into the blood stream in order to reduce the elevation

of the sugar to the normal level. And how does the insulin do that? The insulin

does not burn any sugar as many people think! I repeat the insulin does not

burn any sugar! The insulin transforms into fat the sugar that is in excess and

deposits that fat in the our " fat warehouses " . Fifty per cent of the fat is

deposited in : (1) our breasts, (2) around our waste line, and (3) in our

buttocks. And the other fifty percent deposits the fat in form of glycogen, in

(2) the liver, and (2) between the fibers of our muscles.

The general public does not know of this metabolic mechanism and many physicians

do not spend the time to explain it in detail to their patients how these

things occur. I think this is a petty!

Sugar Index

Gaspar - But Compadre you have not yet explained to me what is this modern thing

referred to as Sugar Index or Glycemic Index?

- The Sugar Index or Glycemic Index is the value of the relation between

the speed of the foods that are reabsorbed at the level of the small intestine

and the height or concentration of those foods in our blood within the first

hour of our digestion.

Dr. and his team have already composed a list of various foods showing

us the numbers or the speeds of reabsorption of the different foods. This list

is very impressive because it reveals that many foods that we thought,

scientifically, were very good for our health, because of the new analysis of

the Sugar Index or Glycemic Index, those same foods have an opposite action,

and therefore are prejudicial to our health and to our longevity!

Based on this new interpretation of the Sugar Index, we verify that the US Diet

Pyramid recommended by the American Health Authorities (Agriculture Department),

it displays the foods in the wrong way. This American Food Pyramid should be

up side down !!! The foods made of refine flour are at the base of this

pyramid, and therefore recommended in largest quantities, should be in the

vertex of the pyramid, and be eaten in the smallest quantities.

The American Diet Pyramid recommended by the American Health Authorities

displays all the refined foods inside of its base, therefore to be eaten in the

largest quantities. THIS RECOMMENDATION IS WRONG!

To see this photo enlarged, click on it once

The US Pyramid in color.

This pyramid should be turned up side down

HERE IS THE CORRECT RECOMMENDATION

To see this photo enlarged, click on it once

Pyramid based on the colors of the Portuguese flag: greens, reds, yellows

and whites. The greens are at the base, follow by the reds, then the yellows and

finally in the vertex the whites, which we should eat in the smallest amounts.

How Many Calories Do We Need Per Day?

Gaspar - Compadre, in reality, how many calories do we need per day

- Very good question. Intelligent and pragmatic. Our body needs, in

average, ONE CALORIE PER MINUTE to maintain all our organs working normally.

Therefore during 24 hours, if we multiply this number by 60 minutes, we will

obtain the figure of 1,440 which is total of calories per day. Of course if we

work, or jog, we are going to need more calories, but what happens is that we

are surrounded by an abundance of foods, many of them very rich in calories, it

is very easily for us to pass the 1440 calories per day, as a base line.

Unfortunately there are many millions of people that do not know this simple

fact of how many calories do we need in 24 hours. I am sure if people knew of

this simple arithmetic true number of 1440, they would be much more careful to

control their weight and take great advantage concerning their health and

longevity.

Gaspar -Compadre, I would like to ask you for a copy of the list of the foods

with the numbers of the sugar Index or Glycemic Index

- With great pleasure. Make copies also to give to your family members

and your friends. Please, note that the foods that have an index above 55

" miles " per hour, exceed the speed, and therefore have to be eaten in a

controlled manner. On the other hand observe that the fruits, because the

majority of them are acid, their glycemic index is lower. Because their

acidity slows their reabsorption at the level of the intestinal mucosa. I am not

going to bother you by reviewing this entire list, but I just want to

highlight some the most important foods.

Please note that the long French Baguette has a speed of 95 " miles " per hour.

And why? Because it is made with the most refine flour that exists. I want

to call your attention also to the foods that are made with refined flour such

as flakes, which are very much advertised on TV by the sports champions, all of

them have a high glycemic index, much higher than 55 " miles " per hour, and

therefore can not be good for our health.

All the cereals if they are refined have high glycemic index. All the sodas,

because they are very rich in sugar, have a high glycemic index. All the

alcoholic beverages have glycemic indices over 100 " miles " per hour!

In the group of the fruits, all have a healthy glycemic index, with exception

of three, so far: pineapple, 66; watermelon 73, and dates 103 " miles per hour.

Now let us look at the potatoes . Desirée potatoes =101 " miles " per hour; red

potato, roasted in the oven = 93; French fries = 75; And the sweet potato? By

its name one would expect to have a high number, but no, only = 54. Why? Because

the sweet potato is rich in fiber. The same happens with all the vegetables

that are rich in fiber, they all have and low index. In the group of the rices,

they are all in the eighties, with the exception of the brown rice which is =

55.

As you see, Compadre, this list gives us much food for thought, and also

valuable information for us to adjust and select the best foods for our health

and longevity.

Comparative analysis of the various Glycemic Indexes

a.. (A) Below 55, excellent

b.. ( Between 55-65 Medium

c.. © Above 65, not good for our health.

Here are the Indices shown by alphabetic order of the various groups of foods

Beans, Breads, Cereals, chouriço, Ice creams Fruits, Juices, Honey, Milks,

Muffins, Pasta & Macaroni, Potatoes, Rices, Sodas, Soups, and yogurt.

Table of the Sugar or Glycemic Index

Rices

Chex, General Mills = 89

Instant cooked = 89

Krispies, Kellogg's == 82

Brown = 55

Honey

Honey = 58

Chouriço

Chouriço, smoked = 28

Muffins

Banana oat & honey = 65

Apricot & honey, low fat = 60

Blueberry = 55

Oat & raisin = 54

Apple cinnamon = 54

Cereals

Crispix Kellogg's = 87

Corn flakes = 84

Cocoa Krispies Kellogg's = 77

Bran flakes =75

Life savers = 70

Cheerios, General Mills = 74

Cornmeal, whole gin = 60

All bran (farelo) de arroz = 19

Breads

French baguette = 95

Gluten free bread= 90

Pretzels = 83

Bagel = 72

Whole wheat = 69

Rye bread = 65

Bun hamburger = 61

Blueberry muffin= 60

Pizza with cheese an tomato = 60

All rice bran = 19

Pototoes

, peeled = 101

Red-skinned overn = 93

red -skinned, mashed = 91

Instant mash potato = 86

French =75

New potatoes , cooked = 61

Potatoes chips = 54

Sweet potato = 54

Beans

Kidney beans, red canned= 53

Pinto beans, boiled = 39

Peas, fresh = 38

Lima beans = 32

Kidney beans, red, boiled = 27

Peas, dry, boil = 22

Soups

Pea soup = 66

Lentil soup = 44

Tomato soup = 38

Lentil, green and brown =30

Fruits

Dates = 101

Watermelon = 72

Pineapple, fresh = 66

Raisins = 64

Papaya = 58

Peach canned = 58

Apricots = 57

Cantaloupe =55

Banana, fresh = 55

Fruit salad = 55

Mango = 55

Kiwi = 52

Grapes, fresh = 48

Marmalade = 48

Orange, navel, = 44

Apple, fresh = 42

Pear, fresh = 38

Apple, dry = 29

Grapefruit, fresh = 25

Cherries = 22

Peanuts = 14

Pasta & macaroni

Linguine pasta, thin = 55

Linguine pasta, thick = 46

Macaroni & cheese = 46

Macaroni cooked = 45

Spaghetti cooked = 41

Spaghetti, whole wheat = 37

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sodas

Fanta = 68

Coca-cola = 63

Pineapple juice = 46

Orange juice = 46

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Milks

Whole milk = 27

Skim milk = 27

Soy milk = 31

Ice Creams

Ice cream 10% fat = 61

Ice cream vanilla = 50

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yogurts

Yogurt, non fat= 33

Yogurt with whole milk =27

Yogurt without fat = 14

We recommend to our readers to get a copy of this book: " Glycemic Index " by

Jennie Brand-, Ph.D. and Wolever, M. D.

I hope this finds you and yours well

Mark E. Armstrong

casca@...

www.top5plus5.com

PAI NW Rep

ICQ #59196115

[Guest guest]

My suggestions are cooked carrots and bone broth.

[Guest guest]

Meleah, As much as the BRAT diet is a conventional way of treating a d bug, I

would not touch the rice or toast. That's just going to make things worse. Try

an electrolyte drink and the foods you are giving him. Is he taking an l.

acidophilus supplement? Perhaps increasing that a bit might help.

Charlene

<><

I think this is interesting. My toddler has had a bug for about five days now

with two episodes of vomitting, but lots of diharea. When I talked to the nurse

on Monday, she said just give him the typical stuff like bananas, applesauce,

yogurt, plain pasta, rice, toast, ect. He is glad to eat the applesauce, banana,

and yogurt, but won't touch the crackers, toast, pasta, and rice. I guess it has

been so long since he's had that stuff that he doesn't even think of it as food.

Well, any other good suggestions to combat the diharea besides the yogurt,

banana, and applesauce?

Meleah

[Guest guest]

Hi Meleah,

<< I think this is interesting. My toddler has had a bug for about

five days now with two episodes of vomitting, but lots of diharea.

When I talked to the nurse on Monday, she said just give him the

typical stuff like bananas, applesauce, yogurt, plain pasta, rice,

toast, ect. He is glad to eat the applesauce, banana, and yogurt,

but won't touch the crackers, toast, pasta, and rice. I guess it has

been so long since he's had that stuff that he doesn't even think of

it as food. Well, any other good suggestions to combat the diharea

besides the yogurt, banana, and applesauce? >>

If any of my family members have the stomach flu once they start to

feel like eating I put them on the intro diet until the frequency of

diarrhea slows down - usually a day or two. While they are vomiting

intensly with brisk diarrhea I make sure they stay hydrated with

diluted legal juices and/or the electrolyte recipe (from the " Drinks "

recipe section of http://pecanbread.com/new/recipes1.html

Sheila, SCD Feb. 2001, UC 23 yrs

mom of and